Friday, October 28 2005 12:22 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Patna: Brushing aside the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) allegation against Election Commission Special Adviser K J Rao acting as 'an extra-judicial authority', Chief Election Commissioner B B Tandon strongly defended him saying he was 'an impartial and neutral officer working without bias and prejudice'.

"It is an unfounded allegation that Rao is working as an extra-judicial authority. He has been assigned with the task of supervising fair and free conduct of the polls and he is discharging his responsibilities without any bias and prejudice," Tandon, who along with Election Commissioner N Gopalaswamy, arrived here to review preparations for the third phase of Bihar polls, told reporters at the airport here.

Rao's conduct was 'unimpeachable and his impartiality is never under doubt', Tandon said adding, "It will be unfair to level such an allegation against an officer who is discharging his duties with full honesty".

"Rao is working under the direct supervision of the Commission and he is doing exceedingly well," Tandon remarked.

Tandon was replying to the charge leveled against Rao by the UPA, particularly the Congress, which said he was 'behaving as an extra-judicial authority'.

Speaking on the alleged involvement of Union Minister Jaiprakash Narain Yadav, whose anticipatory bail plea was dismissed by a Jamui court yesterday (Oct 27, 2005) in connection with a case charging him with causing 'illegal escape' of his brother and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) candidate Vijay Prakash from police custody on October 18, he said, "The case is subjudice and it will be improper to make any comment".

On cases of violation of the model code of conduct by several political heavyweights, including former Chief Minister Rabri Devi, National Democratic Alliance (NDA) chief ministerial candidate Nitish Kumar, Janata Dal (JD) United (U) Parliamentary board chairman Sharad Yadav and others, the CEC said the Commission continued to monitor the progress of investigation.

Regarding his one-day visit to Bihar, Tandon said he was flying to Madhepura where he would review the arrangements for the third phase of polling in five districts before undertaking a similar exercise at Motihari where he would look into the arrangements for polling in six districts scheduled to take place on November 13.

The 72 constituencies going to the polls on November 13 are considered to be the 'badlands' of Bihar dominated by political heavyweights and criminals-turned-politicians.

Several districts along the Indo-Nepal border will also have polling on that day.

On whether the commission was satisfied with the manner in which the poll was conducted in the first two phases, Tandon said it had been 'satisfactory and the media too have given us the certificate'.